


the jily Grease AU that nobody asked for

by americonedreaming



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Grease (1978) Fusion, F/M, Greasers, Inspired by Grease
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-10-30
Packaged: 2021-03-01 21:09:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23693671
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/americonedreaming/pseuds/americonedreaming
Summary: And with that, her James was gone. Her James, the James who had kissed her and smiled and told her she’d always hold a special place in her heart, was gone, replaced with a teasing, mocking, dillweed of a person.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter
Comments: 4
Kudos: 22





	1. prologue: summer nights

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on a Jily kick and I'm a big Grease fan: you're welcome.

Lily was sure of most things. She was going to graduate with straight A’s, go on to a prestigious university, and most likely marry a clean-cut athlete (she was a sucker for biceps). She was sure that she was going to go back to France at the end of the summer and continue the life that she had started, after the long vacation in Britain. She was sure that she was going to be the kind of mom who was loving, but not a pushover. And she was sure she would never bake for those kids (because she really could not). 

So James Potter was confusing for her. James Potter was not certain. She had no idea what to do with him, actually. He was kind and loving and fun, but he was temporary and risky. They had met at a coffee shop in North London where she had blushed profusely and he had stuttered out a request for her phone number. They had reunited for lunchtime kebabs outside the Evans’ rental in Shoreditch, then walked for what felt like ages, talking about anything they could think of.

She loved to kiss him and hold him and try on ugly hats at thrift shops with him, but she felt him slip away sometimes and she knew she would be the one slipping away for good at the end of the summer. She’d already said her goodbyes, and she had decided that cutting contact with James was the smartest thing, back when she thought she would never see him again. He told her he would never forget her and she promised not to call.

But two days before leaving, when Lily had already packed up all her things, when she’d already put the trinkets that she had bought with James in individual bags in the bottom of her suitcase to be simultaneously treasured and forgotten, her father told her that he wanted to stay. He loved the rocks, he said, he loved the weather and the storms. He loved painting wet city streets and throgs of tourists.

She didn’t have the nerve to call James. She didn’t know where he would even be for the school year, and was terrified of admitting to herself that she felt something for this guy that was only supposed to be a  _ fling _ . He was supposed to be forgotten at the end of the summer. No harm, no foul. She was still leaving in a year. She didn’t want to get more attached. 

She enrolled in boarding school, of course, because she couldn’t very well stay in London for the year, like her father wanted. She moved in on a Friday, with a very nice girl named Alice, and she got a small used little VW Beetle from her father so she was happy enough. And she could forget James if she had to. 


	2. part 1: hopelessly devoted to you

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> What was his name again, Jack Ceramics? Joe Clayware?

The Friday night after the first week of classes, Alice dragged her to a back-to-school bonfire hosted in the middle of the large campus parking lot. There was dancing and toasted marshmallows and people were reuniting with their friends. Even Alice, as timid as she was, had an enthusiastic reunion with two girls who were definitely well past tipsy, trying to be discreet about the cigarettes they were smoking. Not that there was any real supervision: the headmaster had already retired to bed. One of the professors that Lily had been introduced to at move-in was sitting next to the landscaper and having a lively, definitely alcohol-influenced, conversation about animal testing. 

Lily was dancing with Alice around the bonfire, feeling like she was on top of the world. Her friends, Marlene and Mary, offered them both cigarettes and small silver flasks (Lily declined the former and had a sip from the latter). As the sky started gradually darkening, Alice looked like she saw something and brought her aside, looking like she was up to something. 

“What was the name of the guy from this summer again?” she asked enthusiastically, a small smile on her face.

Lily blushed, just out of habit. “Oh, drop it Alice! You already know his name!”

“Maybe I forgot!” she exclaimed teasingly. “What was it, Jack Ceramics? Oh, right: Joe Clayware!” Lily rolled her eyes and laughed. 

“Alice! As you know _very well,_ his name was James Potter! Why you _insist_ on–”

“Someone asked for me?” She was interrupted by a voice that excited her more than she was willing to admit. When she turned around, she was sure her heart stopped for a few seconds as she saw him. 

There was _James_ . Out of nowhere, James, standing by one of the more busted cars in the parking lot with a group of people whose faces she couldn’t focus on. He was wearing a leather jacket. A _leather jacket_ . She didn’t have time to unpack _all_ of what she felt about that (who knew she liked men in leather jackets?) because she was too busy being excited out of her mind at _her James_ , right in front of her. 

She could see the moment that he processed her, how his entire face lit up with a grin. His face was _shining_ at her, and she couldn’t stop smiling. She could hear her heartbeat in her ears, could feel her blood pulsing in the tips of her fingers. 

“James?” she exclaimed. 

“Lily! I can’t believe you’re here!” He was just as ecstatic as her, mouth gaping at her, eyes wide open. She knew how that mouth felt on her, how glittery those eyes were in the moonlight. 

“My father decided to stay in London, so he sent me here, to Hogwarts!” For a second, she almost felt like she had found all she wanted, like she could finally be able to be happy. 

“That’s so great!” And then he looked back at his friends. “I mean–” he interrupted himself, clearing his throat and repositioning himself. His stance became much looser, his right hand burying itself in his mess of hair, the genuine smile changing into a smirk. “Good to see you _again_ , Evans. Shame about the clothes,” he said, in a low, teasing voice, winking at her. Lily was caught off guard for a second. Was he joking? His friend with the long black hair barked out a laugh at this, with the tall scarred one shaking his head in amusement. 

“I can’t believe you go here!”

“Stalking me, are we? Well, I can’t blame you for getting attached,” he responded with a low chuckle. His long-haired friend (Sirius, she’d learn later) patted him on the back and uttered something so profane that Lily flinched. 

She stormed out without any further ado (she did have a very impressive storm-out).

With that, her James was gone. Her James, the silly London James, who had kissed her and smiled and told her she’d always hold a special place in her heart, was gone, replaced with a teasing, mocking, _dillweed_ of a person. Charming, still, of course, but coldly so. Lily was angry at James, for completely throwing off her plans and then leaving her to become an utter ass. 

But, really, it was what it was. It was just James Potter. She could get over James Potter. 

Alice was helpful, of course. “I’m sorry I made you talk to him, I feel awful! I thought– well, I knew he was all ‘bad boy’ but from what you told me, I thought he’d be different when he saw you!” Lily just shook her head, swallowing the lump in her throat. She was _not_ going to cry over a summer romance. “He’s worthless, Lil,” she tried. “Don’t let him bother you! You can do so much better. Did you see the boy in Calculus? He seems like just your type!”

Dirk Cresswell _was_ her type. He was tall and handsome and blonde and muscular and he played football. He always wore his varsity jacket and Sperrys and nice, clean khakis. He was always clean-shaven and his hair was carefully arranged, without a strand out of place. 

He was everything that Lily was sure of. He was nothing like James. James had hair that looked like it had been styled only by the wind, curly and _everywhere_. Lily had played with it many warm summer nights, while they sat and watched the waves crash on the rocks. 

But this wasn’t the same James, she reminded herself. This was a James who would mock her in front of his friends. This was a James who showed off for Sirius, while Remus tried to be disapproving and Peter looked on in admiration. This was a James who smoked a pack a day and made lewd comments to cheer Sirius up and pretended that Lily was a quick fuck. She would not wallow. 


	3. part 2: it's raining on prom night

Dirk was nice. He really was. He paid for her food and never ordered for her and never commented on things that were impolite to talk about. He didn’t question what Lily offered but listened and remembered. He gave her his sports jacket when she was cold, his name on the back, and she wore it proudly. This was a person she could count on. 

She saw James walk into the diner before he saw her. She was sitting in a booth in the corner across from Dirk talking about something nice and proper (she had a tendency to forget whatever polite thing Dirk was talking about whenever James was near). He was with Sirius and Remus and Peter, with Mary hanging onto Sirius and Alice following the pair without any real enthusiasm. Lily had enough time to compose herself before they saw her, luckily, and managed to wave calmly at Alice while completely ignoring James. 

He kept throwing glances at her. It unsettled her a bit, but she was angry enough with him that she refused to give him any attention back. She smiled at Dirk as he spoke about his upcoming game, felt the  _ Cresswell  _ on the jacket burn on her back. She almost wanted to take it off, but she knew it bothered James when she wore it. She usually wasn’t this spiteful, honestly. 

When she went to the vintage jukebox in the corner to change the song, she hoped James would come over. 

“Lily–” As much as she was delighted at the sound of his voice, but part of her wanted to escape into herself and not have to deal with 

“Save it,  _ Potter _ ,” she interrupted, staring stubbornly at the songs in the jukebox. The names kept circling in her head. She couldn’t get past Jerry Lee Lewis, just read the same three words over and over.

“I’m sorry, Lily. My friends just… expect me to be a certain way, you know,” he said. She huffed in response and turned to face him, hand on her hips. He let a smile escape at making eye contact with her, and she fought very hard not to return the smile. Her cheeks were warm: she never could stop a blush.

“And you let them decide how you act?” She put her nose in the air in the snooty way she often saw her sister do. 

“I just have to act like a cunt in front of them, I didn’t mean it. I’m sorry. Lily, forgive me, please.” He was practically begging, and she pulled her hand out of reach when it seemed like he was going to grab it. “Lily, you cannot believe how happy I was to see you. I thought I was  _ dreaming _ . It felt like–it didn’t even feel real, I was  _ euphoric _ , Lily! Out of this  _ world _ !” 

“It doesn’t matter, I’m with Dirk now,” she responded nonchalantly, trying to hide how good his words made her feel. He  _ really _ had a way with words.

“Yea, I see that,” he scoffed. “How is Cresswell? Exciting? Brave?  _ Fun? _ ” Lily squirmed a bit, but bit her tongue rather than say something aggressive in her anger. “Come on, Lils. You’re too good for him.” The Lils made her cheeks burn.

“And I presume you think  _ you’re  _ good enough for me.” 

“Not by a longshot,” James said with a wide smile. “I don’t see how  _ anyone _ could ever be. But I’m definitely better than Dull Cresswell.” His smile was almost blinding, and Lily felt a tingle in her fingers that longed to touch him. She remembered how  _ soft _ his hair was. 

“He has direction, at least. He’s getting a football scholarship, you know!” She didn’t know why she was still arguing: they both knew that Lily wasn’t sold on Dirk. They both knew Dirk would never measure up to what James and Lily had that summer. But Lily was too stubborn to ever admit it to his face. 

“You don’t think I have direction? Lily, I could run  _ circles _ around him.” James had a cocky look on his face, smirking smugly. He stretched his arms above his head, revealing a sliver of tanned skin between his shirt and the jeans that fit him  _ oh so well _ (Lily had seen him wear them this summer, and knew way too well how good his arse looked in them). She cursed herself for having to look away, but she did, keeping her eyes firmly on his. “Literally  _ and _ figuratively. I’m the team  _ captain _ , Lils!” 

“I’d love to see that,” she huffed before she walked off, having completely forgotten to choose a song. She returned to Dirk, sitting across from him still fuming, but Dirk didn’t ask what was wrong, only grabbed across the table and stroked the back of it gently. He rarely asked questions.


End file.
